Heart of Darkness
by Tanasia Maleficarum
Summary: Voldemort and his Hogwarts sweetheart, betrayal, death, and the dark lord's rise to power. Prequel to My Antonia/Descent into Maelstrom
1. Beyond the Pale

1964

Author's note:Greetings, all.It's been a while since I've posted anything.Thank w&m_law and Tessie for kicking me in the ass until I finally _did _post something.So, Amy, Tessie, this is for you.

Hopefully, I'll stay on another "gotta write fic" obsession for a couple of months again.JHere's my first effort at a Voldemort fic.How it ties into Antonia's story will be obvious much later on.For now, though, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Disclaimer: We all know that I'm just borrowing the characters, and I'm not making a dime from it.Besides, I'm a hopelessly broke college student, so there's not much point in suing.I don't have anything, anyway.

Now, on with our featured presentation…

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1959

Crimson and scarlet flooded the room with its rich light.The ball of fire sank below the horizon in defeat as the darkness conquered the light; embers of the dying day bathed the gray cell in its orange and red warmth, pouring in through the miniscule window near the low ceiling.The woman pushed back an errant blond lock and stood on the cot shoved against the wall. Stretching, she stared out the tiny window into the sunset.It hadn't been that long ago since the witch and her partner in life, her love, had watched this together. 

Her lover, of course, was no longer with her. 

Yes, certainly, he was still alive, but he was not the flesh and blood lover that had seduced her away from everything…No, now he was just a monster.

If he would just show some sign that he loved her, that he was the same man that she fell in love with, then she would forgive him anything…

The woman unwound her slender fingers from the bars on the window and slid down the wall, until she had settled back on the fetid cot that had been her bed for the past…Gods, it seemed as though she'd been locked up here forever.

The woman lay back in the darkness and reflected upon the irony of the situation…She, the daughter of a Dark Lord, was now the prisoner of one…A mirthless laughter tripped forth from her lips…

_I'm going to die in here…I'll die like a filthy muggle in this disgusting place…_She sighed and ran a grubby hand through her dulled hair, knowing she looked a fright._A cigarette would be so very nice…_

Of course, she had none; her Dunhills had been confiscated along with her wand…

No, all that was left for her here was her thoughts…

***

1946

She sat in the room with them all, quiet and silent among the chatter of the other first years…She wore her plain black robes, looking like all of the other students in the room, but knowing that she was not like them.

"Green, Randall," the transfiguration professor announced.

The boy trotted up to the stool and had the tattered old hat placed upon his head.Almost immediately, the hat screamed "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Grinning, the plump boy clumsily ran to the Hufflepuff table, where he sat with his cheering housemates.

"Grindelwald, Angelina!"

There was silence.Angelina saw the faces of some of her schoolmates…Horror… Shock…Disgust…Terror…It was all there.There was no good-natured cheering for Angelina.

Slowly, she walked up to the stool.Her head was bowed, her pace sedate.She had the look of a girl expecting execution, rather than the act of putting on a very decrepit hat.

She sat in the chair and looked up at the man holding the sorting hat with fear in her large blue eyes.Fear?Of course she was afraid…This was the man that killed her father.

He placed the faded black hat over her shiny blond hair and felt the soft material cover the alabaster flesh of her forehead.There was a voice, a secret little voice that whispered inside her head…

_"You've seen things, haven't you, Fräulein Grindelwald?You'll be a tough one, but I know that we'll find the right house for you…You're certainly brave enough, but you view bravery as a necessity, not a character attribute…You're certainly a hard worker, but you prefer to use your head to get things done… But, you are very shrewd…You've learned much from your father, haven't you?And there's that ambition…You want to be great, do you?Any of the houses would be lucky to have you, but I'd have to say that it'd better be..."_ the hat announced to all, "SLYTHERIN!"

There was some polite applause, coupled with a weary glance at her housemates._Of course, Angelina, the Dark Lord's daughter, couldn't be expected to go anywhere but Slytherin, the house of the first Dark Lord, himself…_

Angelina felt the hat lift from her head and a gentle hand lift her from the stool…She looked up at the dancing blue eyes and saw him…Yes, it was, without a doubt, Albus Dumbledore, the one who had killed her father.

She felt like throwing up on the man's shoes.

She felt like throwing her arms around him and thanking him for rescuing her.

Regardless of what she felt, the fact remained.Albus Dumbledore killed her father, as cold and callous as her father himself could be.Her father loved her, in his own way…

Dumbly, she walked over to her house table, thinking of her father…She remembered when _Vater_ would balance her on his shoulders, or when he would have her dance with his servants after dinner…There were the nights of plotting strategy in the war against the Muggles…_Vater _loved it when she would play Schubert pieces on the piano…Of course, he might have been _bösest unehelich_, or the most vicious bastard, but he still loved her.

And here she was, making nice with the man who killed him.

_And how many did your father kill, Angelina?_She hated that little voice that spoke up in the back of her head…

Angelina sat down at the table and noticed that they were pulling their chairs away from her…Well, all of them except for one…

She looked up at him and smiled.He was definitely the most handsome boy she'd ever seen…He smiled back at him, his green eyes flashing as his lips twisted into a faint smile.

"Welcome to Slytherin, Angelina," he greeted.

She shivered at the sound of his voice, how low it was…This boy was so much older…Sixteen?Seventeen?However old he was, he was nearly ready to leave Hogwarts…

"Thank you," she whispered, feeling shy in the face of such kindness…

"My name is Tom," he greeted, offering her his hand."Tom Riddle," he introduced as her tiny hand slipped into his large, decidedly masculine one.

She felt a charge through her fingers from his touch, one that was purely electric.When she looked into eyes the color of emeralds, she knew._I'm going to be with him for the rest of my life.He will be my prince, and he will make me his queen._

That was when Angelina Grindelwald fell in love with Tom Marvolo Riddle.

***

1959

"Tom!" she screamed.She'd made him her prince, and he'd made her his queen, as she knew would happen…But Tom, her love, her prince…How could he betray her like that?They had the world at their fingertips, and he threw her in this dungeon without him.

_What a cruel irony that you leave me the sunset, my love_… she thought bitterly._How many sunsets did we watch together?Under how many sunsets did you swear that you would die for me?Instead, you leave me here to die alone._

She narrowed her eyes at the guard who came with a tray of food."Your… your dinner, milady," he stuttered.

"Where is your master?" she hissed.

"I couldn't tell you," the inept guard whimpered.She was beautiful, still, even though she'd aged, even though she was being kept like an animal…

The guard knew that she would still be deadly.

"Should you see your master, remind him that his queen is rotting away in the dungeons…" she purred.Her voice took on a dangerous edge, while maintaining the sensuous quality."Remind him that we are, in fact, two of a kind, and he knows what he would do when cornered like this…"

He backed away from the door, seeing the deadly glint in the witch's eye.Aye, she'd be calling down her father's gods for this betrayal.The guard knew that he didn't want to be anywhere around when they answered.

***

1946

Angelina smiled with delight when their dinner instantly materialized upon her plate.Granted, it would not be the cooking that she was familiar with back in Austria, but what could she expect from the English?Certainly, it would be the end of bratwurst and beer, and there'd be no sauerkraut with dinner…

"How did you take your dinner in Austria, Angelina?" Tom asked, observing her delight at the magically materializing food.

"House elves, of course._Vater _would not allow anyone else to touch my food for fear of poisoning.His servants all knew the sacred rule: _Lass Deine Finger davon mein Tochter!_"

Tom looked puzzled.

She smiled."I'm sorry, I do so much better in German," she apologized.Her English, however, was the crisp English of the British aristocracy.She sounded like a little girl educated along side the queen's own children, rather than an Austrian student.

He gave an amused smile to the little girl beside him and waited for her to translate.

"It translates out to something like 'Keep your hands off my daughter!'"

Riddle laughed, placing his hand on the small of her back.

Angelina felt herself melt beneath his touch.Yes, she knew it was true.Her destiny was with Tom Riddle.

Tom smiled down at her, amused.Angelina Grindelwald, only child and princess of the vanquished Dark Lord, was sitting beside him, hanging on his every word…She was a cute little kid, too…And she would grow up to look like the proverbial ice maiden, so Nordic was she in appearance.

He would enjoy having the little girl around…She certainly had to know her share of the Dark Arts, and there was no way she'd be a muggle lover…Not with a father like Helmut Grindelwald teaching her the ways of a proper witch.

At the end of the feast, Headmaster Dippet stood up and cleared his throat."Now that we've all been sorted, Welcome to Hogwarts'.There are only good things to come here, now that the Dark Lord Grindelwald has been vanquished…"

Angelina flinched._My father is dead, and he can stand up there and announce that this is a wonderful thing for the world at large?_She resisted the urge to stand up and scream, "What about me, damn it!What about me?"

Dippet continued in his speech, oblivious to the little Austrian witch at the Slytherin table."It is time for Witchcraft and Wizardry to be practiced without fear, it is time for us to enjoy our glory, and to circulate freely around the world.Now is when we can safely learn our crafts, without fear of the dark mage coming down upon us."

Angelina, however, gripped her knife very tightly…Her knuckles were turning white._I could kill you where you stand…and I won't even need a wand to do it…_

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tom look at her.She forced her fingers to relax and peered up at him.He didn't avert his gaze, but continued to watch her.

Angelina smiled beautifully, bestowing Tom with the same smile that made her father and Heinlen (Grindelwald's heir apparent) melt.

Tom smiled back at her, but it didn't reach his green eyes.He leaned close and whispered to her, "Don't worry about him, Angelina.His time will come."

Her blue eyes glared at the headmaster._Yes, Dippet, your time will come…You will find out why Grindelwald is still a name to fear, _she thought furiously._You're too cowardly to take on my father, but at least Dumbledore was courageous enough to do it on his own, without hiding behind a score of others for protection.Dumbledore may have taken my father, but he, at least, doesn't gloat about it…_

Angelina shifted her gaze to Professor Dumbledore.He was a handsome man, with long strawberry blond hair and a flowing beard.His blue eyes sparkled with amusement; he radiated kindness and solidarity.Dumbledore, at least, was a man worthy of challenging her father.

Dippet, however, was not even worthy of speaking her father's name.

***

1959

"The Master says he does not wish to see you, milady," the one inept guard huffed as he walked in.The guard still gazed upon his queen warily.Though she was unarmed, there was no telling what the witch would do…The witch was equally as cunning as the master.

She laughed."He can't live without me much longer, you know.He won't keep me locked away over this stupidity.Not when he knows how much he needs me…And not when he knows that I can hurt him as much as he can hurt me…"

"I'm sorry, milady…The Master will do as the Master pleases…I can't tell him what to do or think…"The guard looked as though he was experiencing the stuffs that nightmares were made of.

And he was, but not _his_ nightmares…

She didn't hear him.Instead, the young witch focused on the thoughts in the back of her head, where the harsh truths dwelt.The twenty-four year old witch realized that she'd given over half of her life to Tom Riddle, but the first half was given simply for her father…Angelina Grindelwald was a Dark Princess.She'd dedicated her life to serving the Dark Arts, even when she herself had sworn to forsake them…If Tom… Lord Voldemort… really did cast her aside, what would be left for her?

Then, the little voice spoke up._Vengeance_.

She smiled coldly."Let the _Master_ know that if I cannot do what needs to be done in this life, the gods will surely see to it that I do it in the next…"

He scurried away…

The witch sighed._One would think that he'd at least make the effort to give me a decent guard, rather than this little pansy…_

_But it's not over, my love.The gods will give me another chance to destroy you before I am carried off to Valhalla with my father…Either you want me by your side, or you wish me dead._

"But even so, I still love you," she whispered, throwing herself down on the dirty cot.She just hoped it didn't have fleas.

***

1946

Armand Dippet, pompous windbag idiot himself, stood in the Great Hall, still rambling in his endless stupidities."Now, the heads of House are Professor Dumbledore for Gryffindor, Professor Gardner for Hufflepuff, Professor Wise for Ravenclaw, and Professor Thanatos for Slytherin."

Angelina watched them stand up and survey the students.Dumbledore looked particularly pleased with his group, while Gardner looked relatively dim.Professor Wise was a pretty young witch, intelligence radiated from her._Thanatos…_Thanatos was a frightful looking man, tall and pale, very Greek looking, with a black beard hanging from his jutting chin…Dressed in black, he looked more like he should be the Lord of the Underworld, himself…Yes, seeing a man such as that silhouetted by the night sky of the ceiling was, indeed, deliciously appropriate.

Dippet began speaking again, in his reedy, melodramatic voice, "Head Boy, Tom Riddle of Slytherin.Head Girl, Deborah Montrose of Gryffindor."

Beside her, Tom Riddle rose to his great height, towering over her._Gods, but he is beautiful_, she thought, feeling her heart skip a beat at this beautiful, beautiful boy.Tom, of course, was tall, dark, and handsome, and bore much more than a passing resemblance to Salazar Slytherin, the founder of their house.

_Ja, sie werden sollen meine…Yes, you will be mine_…Angelina couldn't shake the feeling that her destiny was inextricably entwined with Tom Riddle._Mein genädiger Herr_… _my lord…_

He sat back in his chair beside her and smiled, but it did not reach the cool emerald jewels of his eyes.

No, there was no amusement in his smile.It was simply the smile of a man who was in control.

Angelina narrowed her eyes and took in the countenances of her housemates.There was a boy with silver blond hair; he looked to be about thirteen…Beside him was a boy with greasy black hair and black eyes, along with a hooked nose…Possibly fifteen…

Tom noticed her careful perusal of their housemates."The blond…That's Septimius Malfoy… He's a third year student.The ugly little bugger is Lazarus Snape…Fifth year.The trampy little thing licking her lips at me is Melody Parkinson… another fifth year."Riddle nodded his head towards the end of the table where all the first years were sitting in a huddle."Those down there are in your year."

"Do you think that my name will work against me here?" she asked.

The boy gave her a wolfish smile."Oh, no…Not in this house.You'll find some familiar names here…Your father's followers, no doubt, although most of them probably went to Durmstrang."

She sneered."_Durmstrang!_" the witch spat."_Mein vater _felt that Durmstrang was a school for _die verzagt!"_

Tom arched one black eyebrow at her, and awaited clarification.

"_Die verzagt._The weak in spirit.They cannot learn the arts on their own, without fear, so they must learn it in a pack, where all students have the same thoughts._Mein vater_ preferred Hogwarts so that I would learn to think for myself, even among the weak muggle lovers.This is where he believed the next Dark Lord will receive his education."

"You, _Fraulein_, are pure Slytherin," Tom complimented, a pleased smile on his face."The Great Salazar Slytherin himself would have gone mad over you."

***

Angelina and the rest of the Slytherins went down to the dungeons to their dorms, which were hidden away behind a black armored knight."The password," Thanatos announced imperiously, "is 'bandersnatch'."

The knight stepped aside, revealing a small hole in the wall.Angelina smiled when she felt Tom Riddle's hands on her, assisting her through the space.She found herself in another world…

There was a roaring fire in the hearth, casting a deceptively cheery glow about the room.The carpet was blood red; the furniture was leather.She could just make out the look of a… serpent, perhaps… on the wall in a mosaic.

"Behold," Tom whispered in her ear, sweeping his hand across the great room before them, "the Slytherin Commons Room.This is where you will be able to hold court, once they recognize you for the queen that you are."

Angelina smiled."I don't need their recognition.The only recognition that is important is the recognition of the one who will rule along side me.I need to be a queen in his eyes, and nothing more."

"And the others?" he asked.

"They will know it when it happens.Until then, they will be blind."

Riddle smiled."They have eyes, Angelina."

He was teasing her…She laughed."Just because one has eyes doesn't mean that one can see, you know.When my prince is ready, they will open their eyes, and then they will see."_When you are ready, they will see_, she thought.

"And what makes you so sure of this?" Tom pressed.

She looked at him blankly."That is _welche_ _die Götter_ _benötigen_…What the Gods want.Who are we to question them?"


	2. The Tell-Tale Heart

1959

A/NWhat's mine is mine, what's not is not, 

Please don't sue me for what I haven't got!

Credits are at the end.J

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1959

He slipped into the dungeons, nearly soundless, but she could hear him, she could smell him…He could never keep his presence a secret from her.

She did not bother to rise from the cot as he made his way to her cell.

"You didn't eat," he said, his low voice rumbling in greeting.

The witch propped her chin up in her hands and looked him over."Poison is everywhere, lover.If you think that I will take a bite of anything that I've not seen you eat, first, you're mad."

"What do you want me to do, Angelina?"

Her blue eyes narrowed to slits."Remember what you promised me, Tom?"

"MY NAME IS LORD VOLDEMORT!" he thundered.

"You made promises to me, darling, no matter what name you choose.What did you promise…"Her voice was hypnotic; her words caressed him.

"I promised that I would love you…I don't know if I can love anyone anymore.You've become a millstone around my neck!"

She laughed harshly."You are weak, then, darling.You promised more, much more…And then you throw me to the dungeons…What next?Will you throw me to the Dementors for a little kiss?"The witch's voice dripped malevolence as she hissed, "_Der Zauberer!"_

__He stepped back, not sure of what her words would translate to."Afraid to speak in a tongue that I can understand, my Angel?"

"I'll put this in words you can understand, my lord…Oath breaker!You promise me, you swear to me that you will stay by my side, and you throw me down here in this squalor!"

She watched his eyes and his face.He was no longer the handsome young boy, but now a brutal man.Tom Riddle had become… the world, as well as its evils.

***

1946

Angelina sat in the bedchamber with the rest of the first year Slytherin girls.There was Louisa Zabini, Margareth Martin, and Madeleine Lestrange…The others, of course, weren't really important at this time.

Louisa, Margareth, and Madeleine were unpacking their hair ribbons and little girl trinkets, laughing and giggling.

Angelina was alone.She had no such toys and frippery to pull from her trunk.All that she had was a teddy bear and a locket from her father.

Zabini, Lestrange…Those names were so very familiar…Had those girls' fathers joined her own father's cause?Perhaps, but they, at least, were lucky enough to have their fathers still with them.Their fathers would be around to join the next Dark Lord in his uprising, but so would she. 

Angelina, however, would not be just a blind follower, gratefully accepting the pearls of wisdom that dripped from the next master's lips.No, she would be the queen by his side, the fearless empress who rode into battle.

Angelina Grindelwald would be the force that brought the next dark lord to power.

Angelina shook her head, her blond hair swishing around her shoulders.That would all come in good time.Now?Now she had to study, and learn to be a powerful witch.Now was when she would make her father proud.

She went to bed early that night, and was one of the first to go to the Great Hall for breakfast.Tom joined her early on.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Tom greeted, taking in her pale face and her cold blue eyes.

Angelina frowned."It doesn't sound the same in the dungeons.There's no sound."

The head boy grinned at her, his shiny badge shimmering under the sky ceiling."There's no sound?None of your roommates snore?"

The Austrian witch wound her blond braid up in a bun and used a hairpin to hold it in its place."That's not what I meant, and you know it.There are no crickets; there are no wolves…It's so very silent under the ground."

"I'll take you out to the edge of the Forbidden Forest after classes are over," Riddle promised."Do you like snakes?"

She shrugged."They're okay.I prefer spiders, myself."

"Big spiders?" Tom asked, tickling her tummy.

Angelina giggled and slid away."Stop!" she protested, playfully swatting after him._Good one, Angelina…Act like a little kid, _she berated._Tom's never going to take you seriously if you act stupid!_

"So, what's first on your roster?" Tom asked, looking at Angelina's time card.

"Charms, it looks like…"

"We've got a great charms teacher…Grayson Arraghey is the best."

"She going to hold my father against me?"

Tom put an arm around her."I wouldn't worry about that.Your father was a visionary.Some people just weren't ready for the message, yet."

Angelina laughed, a light tinkly sound that washed over the senses.__

__Her laughter was cut short when another girl sat beside them.

The older girl smiled radiantly, her black curls gleaming about her shoulders."Good morning, handsome," she greeted.

"Hey, beautiful.Did you sleep well?" Tom asked, leaning over and giving the other girl a kiss on an ivory cheek.

"I'd have slept better with you," she cooed.

Angelina narrowed her blue eyes into slits and glared.

"Angelina, this is Sally, my girlfriend…"Tom turned to Sally."Sally, you remember Angelina Grindelwald from the sorting yesterday?"

Sally narrowed her heavily made up eyes."Right.The psychotic murderer's daughter."

At that moment, Angelina wished that she'd learned how to use some of the deadly curses that her father had used on his enemies."_Mein vater würde können mich abgestorben ehe man sich versieht!Das Miststück!"_Angelina rose to her feet and stormed out of the Hall.Only later did she realize that Sally would have no clue as to what she said.

The child sighed.A perfectly good rant, wasted.She would have to remember to scream, "My father would see you dead before you can say 'knife.'Bitch!" in English, next time.Of course, the effect was lost in English.

***

1959

"Why do you do this, Angelina?Why?" the dark lord pleaded, stroking her face tenderly with his large hands.

Her blue eyes darkened."You touch me as though you care, yet moments before, you tell me that I am a millstone.You have me, darling!Why don't you just admit that you need me?"

"I'm the master!I'm not supposed to need _anyone!_" he thundered.

"You need me," she whispered."I helped you get here.You wanted me, needed me at your side when you were plotting.You won't get much farther without me."

"I'll conquer the world!You'll see!"

***

1946

The woods were a brilliant mixture of greens and browns and reds as the fall leaves scattered about the edge of the Forbidden Forrest, swirled about into piles raked up by Hagrid.Her black robe was covered with flecks and crumbs of dried leaves; her blond hair had fallen out of the braided topknot, and was now slipping out of its braid.

The witch looked like a ragamuffin child that slipped out of the orphanage, rather than the heiress of Grindelwald.

She and Gregory Fairchild, another first year Slytherin, were rolling around the leaves acting like two juvenile delinquents.Angelina enjoyed every second of it.

"Angelina?" Gregory asked, not taking his eyes off of her for a second as she collapsed into the pile of leaves.

"What?" she panted, winded from their horseplay.

"I know it's a long time away, but… but would you come home with me for Christmas?" the dark haired boy whispered shyly.

Angelina remained silent, biting her lip and pondering.

Gregory's face fell; his eyes focused on the leaves, rather than the little girl that he'd been playing with.

_Crunch, crunch, crunch…_Footsteps grew louder and closer the shadowy figure approached.

A bit of fading sunlight illuminated the encroaching human, revealing his identity.

"Tom!" Angelina cried, her face splitting into a wide smile.

He smiled at the little girl, watching her straighten herself up and dust off the bits of dried leaves that clung to her.

The child ran towards him, picking up speed and launched herself at him.

Angelina heard Tom's rich laughter as he wrapped his arms around her.In hindsight, she realized that it was a perfectly childish behavior on her part, but there she was, up in Tom Riddle's arms, clinging to him like a little monkey with her arms and legs around him in a death grip.

"Did you have fun?" Tom teased, not prying the child off of him.

Angelina smiled."Yup.Gregory just asked me if I'd go home with him for Yule break."

Riddle's face hardened."I thought…Well, I thought you'd stay at Hogwarts' with me."

Her heart leaped in her chest.He wanted her to stay with him?

He then picked up where he left off."I mean, you don't have any family left, either…"

She felt her hopes dashed against the rocks. _Of course, Angelina…He's dating that stupid Sally girl.Why would he want you?_Angelina squirmed a bit until she felt herself sliding down his body. She stepped back a bit once her feet were firmly on the ground.

"I'll…I'll stay," Angelina promised hesitantly._I'll stay for you, Tom…I don't want you to be alone on Christmas.Besides, it's not like Papa will be there to celebrate the solstice with me…_

Tom smiled, pleasure written across his face."I knew you wouldn't let me down, Angelina."

"Can you help me out with my transfiguration homework?" Angelina asked hopefully.Of course, she'd done her transfiguration homework, turning matchsticks into needles, and it had gotten an A, but her needle wasn't shiny.It was more of a dull shade than the perfect shiny metal that it should have been.

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you that you were doing well?" Tom countered.

"Yes, but it wasn't perfect."

"I can't tonight.Tonight is the Halloween Ball."

Her eyes narrowed."You're taking Sally?"

"Angelina, she's my girlfriend," Tom explained impatiently."Of course I'm taking her."

"When you finish school this year, the two of you will fly off into the sunset and live happily ever after?" she sneered.

The wizard raised one black eyebrow."I have plans for my life.Sally does not fit in them."

Angelina was only slightly mollified at that statement.

***

1959

Erratically, the dark mage threw any loose object he could find.Various pieces of pottery shattered on the cobbled floor.

"Tom!Listen to me," she pleaded."You can do anything you want to.You can rule the world.But you would enjoy it so much more knowing that you have me at your side, rather than having me shoved in a dungeon somewhere, far away and forgotten…"

His green eyes flared and turned ruby red for an instant, then reverted back to the usual emerald color."I…Angelina, you…"

Angelina refused to step back."Shh," she whispered, stroking his cheek."Obey your destiny.Remember that you used to have pleasure."

"I… don't… need… pleasure," he protested feebly.

The witch gave a low chuckle."Of course you don't, darling…That doesn't change how much you want it…"

***

1946

She heard that little bitch talking to him, using the low, hushed tones reserved for the intimacy of two lovers.She strained her ears, struggling to hear their every word.

"…Why do you put up with her?" Sally whined.

"She's special," Tom answered firmly.His tone left no room for argument.

"She has a crush on you," the dark haired witch rebutted."I don't understand why you put up with her mooning over you…"

"Sally," he murmured pleadingly.Angelina caught a glimpse of him stroking her cheek with such tenderness, her heart was breaking.

"Do you have some kind of thing for little girls or something?" Sally sulked, her beautiful Cupid's bow lips drawing into a pout.

"She's a cute little girl, Sally.That's all.She's a child."His voice was silky smooth, a gentle caress.

"Then why do you keep her around?I never get any time alone with you…It seems like the little brat is always hanging around."

Tom sighed."Angelina is alone.Her parents are dead.Professor Dumbledore killed her father, for God's sake!Don't you think that's bound to mess up a kid's head?"

The little girl's hands balled up at her sides, hidden in fists within the folds of her robe.How could he betray her like that?

Sally sighed."Can't she find someone else to trail after?"

"How many people do you know of that will befriend the vanquished Dark Lord's daughter?"

A pair of delicately manicured hands flew up in the air in frustration."You know, darling, pity for the sparrow with the broken wing fades.In the end, all you're left with is guilt, and that damned sparrow still has the broken wing."

Angelina's blue eyes began to water; a single tear rolled down her face.She bolted, rattling a bookcase as she rushed past.

Riddle jumped to his feet at the sound and caught a glimpse of the little girl rushing out of the Slytherin dungeon."Angelina, wait!" he cried, chasing after her for a couple of steps.

The knight slid back over the hole in the wall, covering the sight of her retreating form.

"Damn!" Tom swore, throwing his transfiguration book against the wall.

***

1949

Angelina curled up at the base of a tree, feeling the hot, scalding tears running down her face.Sobs shook her tiny body; the miserable sound muffled by a fist in her mouth._How could you?How could you do this to me?You treated me like I was special, and I'm only a pity case?I'm just a little girl?_

The rough material of her robe scratched her face as she wiped away the tears.

_Crunch, crunch, crunch…_Footsteps approached her, moving faster as she tried to hide herself away from the interloper's gaze.Solitude was all that she wanted, but it didn't look like she was going to get it.

_Can't they just leave me alone?_

Closer…Closer…Closer, still, the entreating footsteps came.

Her back stiffened when the footsteps halted beside her.

"What did you hear?" his familiar voice pressed as he sank down to the ground beside her.

"_Abstand halten," _she whispered.

"Angelina, please…I can't understand you when you start speaking German," he said, his voice cajoling.

Sapphire blue eyes, red rimmed and wet from tears, peered up at him."Stay away."

"Talk to me," he commanded, his tone gentle, but not to be denied.

"Why?So you can go back to Sally and laugh about the stupid little girl?" she spat.

"I've never, ever called you stupid.Impatient?Demanding?Of course.But what else would one expect from a princess?"

"Or a damned crippled bird?"

"Sally said that, not me.I don't need Sally Cummings to speak for me."

"You don't need Sally Cummings at all.She's not good enough."

"Jealous?" he countered.

"Using good taste.She's not smart, she's not special, she's not _anything!_Yet, you still waste your time with her."

He sighed."When you are older, you will understand what I see in Sally."

Angelina laughed mockingly."I know what you see in her.She has…How do you say… _die wichtig weiblichen Brüste._"

"What?"

She held her hands far out in front of her chest, indicating what she thought was so very amazing about Sally Cummings."I hate this.You make me so angry that I forget my English…She has a big chest, and that is her charm."

"You're too young to know these things."

"I'm not blind!And I'm not a little girl!"

He put his arm around her."Angelina, I don't have anyone.I grew up in an orphanage.I always wished that I had a sister…I wished that she would be just like you.It never happened, of course.But at least I found you, and you're the sister that I always wanted…"

A look of horror stretched across Angelina's face._Sister?No, Tom, not a sister…I love you!And you're meant to be with me!_

"Don't look at me like that…I hate it when you're not happy.This is the only place that I've ever enjoyed being, and I don't want to see it ruined for you," he murmured gently, stroking her cheek with the backs of two fingers.

"I see you and hear you and that… that… _thing_ talking about me behind my back, discussing what a pathetic child I am, and you expect me to be _happy?!_Have you gone mad?"

"You aren't pathetic.It would be sheer stupidity to look at you as anything less than strong.You…You will be a very important asset to someone some day."

_I'll be an important asset to you_, she thought stubbornly._You'll need me if you ever want to be the master._

__He lowered his voice to a confidential tone."Angelina, I have a secret that I want you to know…"

That got her attention.Angelina peered at him suspiciously, waiting for him to continue with his little confession.

"The name that my mother gave me is Tom Marvolo Riddle.Tom for my muggle father that abandoned us before I was born… He left us as soon as he found out that my mother was a witch…Marvolo for my grandfather…Riddle is the surname of that filthy muggle bastard that left my mother to die of a broken heart."Riddle was shaking with rage; his antipathy for the muggle half of his heritage was etched in his face."When I rise to greatness, I will not have the stamp of that bastard in my name.I have a new name for myself."

Angelina sat up, filled with anticipation.

Riddle sucked in a deep breath and announced proudly, "My name is Lord Voldemort."

Her blue eyes smoldered; a cat-like smile curled her lips."Voldemort…French…Flight from death."

"I'll never die, Angelina.I'll live forever," he declared.

_With your queen by your side, _she vowed._You'll rule the world, you'll have your immortality, and you'll have me with you._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thanks for the reviews, guys.I recognized a bunch of names from Antonia.

Nermalie, thanks so much for being my beta.

Amy:I know, I know, it took me long enough, but here's more.

Sunshine: You know you want me.

Candace:All things are related in these.Everything that happens to Antonia is contingent on how this turns out.

Rushumble:Thank you, thank you very much.

Morrighan: She's different, but what else would you expect from Fraulein Grindelwald?There's still more Descent to come, but there are a few more things that I have to write first, before I can give Antonia the wrap up that she deserves.

Tessie:I had bigger and better things in mind when I started writing for Angelina than I did for Antonia.

Debra, Jenny:Thanks a bunch, hopefully, more will be coming soon.

Everyone else:Please review?ff.net doesn't have a hit counter anymore, so I have no way of knowing if anyone else read it or not unless you just say _something_…


	3. Romance in the Grand Manor

Romance in the Grand Manor

Disclaimer: All characters… blah, blah, blah.We all know what's JKR's stuff and what's mine.Why waste bandwidth?Author's note at the bottom

****************************************************************

Romance in the Grand Manor

1959

His hands reached through the steel bars, roughly gripping her thin shoulders.The rage left him as his large hands, hard hands that could be kind as well as cruel, slid down her back, to her tiny waist…With surprising swiftness, he jerked her toward the bars, crushing her against the cold metal.His mouth closed over hers, taking a soul-searing kiss…

The witch melted against the bars, against him…Her own tiny hands reached through the bars, feeling the muscles in his shoulders, the broad firmness of his back…

_He loves me…_

Angelina kissed her lover back, feeling his tongue gently exploring the crevices of her mouth…As their ardor increased, their caresses became more frantic, more demanding.He moaned against her mouth…

"Angel…" he breathed.

_You could have me right now, darling, if only you would let me out of this cage…_

***

December 1946

He swept into the commons room, looking like a man meant to rule, like a king.His forest green robes only emphasized the green of his eyes and the black of his hair.His delightfully unruly waves were calmed that night, either with copious amounts of grease, or with a very effective spell…

Whatever it was, the boy looked like a million galleons.

"Hey, Princess," Tom greeted easily.

She sat in her chair by the fire, silently staring at him.Could any words do justice to the young Lord Voldemort as he stood before her now?

He softly chuckled in response to her silence.

Heat flooded her face, shocking her out of her silence."Hello…"Her voice was whisper soft, like a gentle breeze.

"Why so shy, Princess?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

"You…I…Have fun at the ball, milord."Still, that tender whisper…Such an intimate sound, one meant for his ears and his alone.

He floated closer to her, stopping just before her chair.Easing down into a low bow, he asked, "Would you like to dance, milady?"

Slowly, a pleased smile stretched across her lips."But there's no music," she protested.

He extended his hand to her."All the music that we need is here."

Hesitantly, Angelina slipped her hand into his.The little girl easily rose to her feet and suppressed a sigh as he pulled him against her.She closed her eyes and felt the rhythm of the silent music as he led her through the slow steps of a waltz.

***

1959

Without warning, he pushed her away.

Her breathing was ragged as she grasped at the bars of her cell for support.Stunned, she touched her lips and looked up at him with glazed blue eyes.He wanted her…She could feel it in his touch.Why did he stop?

His eyes were equally glazed, and filled with a longing for more than a stolen kiss between steal bars._"Witch!"_ he hissed.

"Yes," she responded, her voice breathless."I am a witch…I am the witch that you cannot give up…"

"I can give you up anytime I want," he protested fiercely.

"But you won't…You don't want to," she replied.With the quiet certainty of a woman who had been loved, she stated, "And you never will."

"Don't tell me what I want," he spat.

"I don't have to tell you.All I have to do is look at you, and I can see it, even if you deny it."Her fingers gently brushed against his chest, knocking loose a speck of dust that had clung to his robe."All I have to do is touch you, and I can feel it…"

***

December 1946

He held her hand gently as he led her through the waltz…She felt like a precious treasure in his arms.

"Are you ready to go?" a feminine voice interrupted.

The silent music stopped, almost as if someone had harshly ripped up the needle on the phonograph.

"Sally," Tom greeted, a wolfish smile on his face.

Angelina glared at the other witch as she took in her appearance.

Sally looked like, in Angelina's eyes, a high-class whore.Her burgundy robes clung to her all over, hugging her heaving bosom, accentuating her curves._And,_ Angelina thought cattily,_ her fat roll on her stomach_._Maybe you should put on a little more lipstick… then you'd fit in with the _die Dirnen _in Whitechapel…_She sneered at Riddle's girlfriend and mentally corrected herself._Prostitutes.In England, Angelina, we speak English… Especially if you want these fools to understand you._

Sally's gaze shifted from Tom and landed on Angelina.The seventh year student glared at the little girl, treating her like a cheap interloper.

Angelina's face hardened, her sapphire blue eyes narrowed._You would have to show up now, wouldn't you?Have you no sense of timing?Or better yet, couldn't you just go away?_Angelina's own glare became more and more hateful as her thoughts continued on. 

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, his attention directed at Sally.

Sally smiled sweetly at the Head Boy and slipped her arm into his.(Angelina found herself carefully watching for Sally's face to crack.Much to her disappointment, it didn't.)"Let's go, lover," she purred.

Riddle smiled at her and shook his head in a seemingly affectionate disapproval.But he still led her out of the dungeons.

With heavy heart, Angelina watched the armor cover the entrance.He was gone.

"I saw you dancing…You were beautiful," a voice said from behind her.

Startled, the witch whirled around."Gregory…I didn't know you were here."

He smiled sadly."You didn't notice anyone else in the room at all, except for Tom."

He was right, and she knew it.As soon as Tom entered any room, the other inhabitants faded to oblivion.

She bit her lower lip and looked up at her friend."We may not be allowed to go to the ball, but…Would you like to dance?" she asked.

"There's no music, Angelina.And there's no music in my head, either."The boy looked defeated, as if a rival had trumped him, and he'd never be able to recover.

"Gregory…" she pleaded."You're my friend…Don't be like that."

"Disappointed?Every time I want to ask you something, Riddle comes along and spoils it."

The witch looked at the boy, confusion etched across her pretty face."What are you talking about?"

"I asked you to come home with me for break.And you were going to say yes, weren't you?"He paused, just waiting for Angelina to say something, anything.He didn't seem surprised when she remained silent."You were going to come home with me and spend the holiday with my family.Then _he_ came along and asked you to stay here for him."

"Gregory, you don't understand!" Angelina protested, resting her tiny hand on his arm.

"No, I understand.I understand everything.Just like tonight.I was going to ask you if you wanted to play a game of chess with me, and he comes down here and dances with you without music.It was like… the only music that you two needed was the music in your head.How can I compete with that?"

She remained silent for a moment, her blue eyes downcast.Finally, she admitted, "You can't."

"But can you compete with Sally?" Gregory countered.

"Yes…"Angelina flopped down in her chair and propped her face up on her fist."Yes, I think I can."

"How?Sally is beautiful…"

"If you like cheap," Angelina sniffed.

"Obviously, Tom does.He's at the Ball with _her_, and not you."

The thought stung her.He couldn't have been more vicious if he had slapped her."Tom and I…Tom and I are just friends," she protested, albeit unconvincingly.

Gregory's eyes reflected the hurt that he felt within."Then why can't you come home with me, Angelina?Aren't I your friend, too?"

She sighed wearily."Gregory, please…You know that you are.Who else keeps me company in classes?You're the only one that doesn't shy away from the evil _Herr_ Grindelwald's daughter…I'd be lost without you, and you know it."

"How lost will you be when I go home without you tomorrow?" he asked quietly.

She bit her lip, her eyes downcast._How to answer that question?Do I tell him what he wants to hear, or what I really feel?_She remained silent.

"Come on, Angelina, it's not that difficult of a question," Gregory pushed.

"Gregory, when you leave Hogwarts for break, you'll go home and you'll be with your family.Tom won't.Tom will stay here, alone.He has no family to go home to," she explained gently."I'll miss you while you're gone, and I'll send you an owl every day…"

He smiled sadly, feeling the familiar tug of being the loser…

***

1959

"I don't want your feelings," he sneered.

"And I don't want to be in this cell, caged up like a damned animal, either!But, of course, you hold the keys.If you don't want me, then just let me go!" she screamed.

"I can't just let you go, Angel…"

"No, of course not.Better to keep me trapped down here like nothing, rather than to let me go, and to let me live," she responded bitterly.

His green eyes narrowed."You're down here because you've earned it.Feel lucky I haven't tortured you, and made you beg for my mercy."

She laughed derisively."You, my lord, have no mercy left to give.It would be a waste of my breath, and give you far too much satisfaction for me to ever beg you for anything.Besides, I am Angelina Grindelwald.My father taught me long ago to never, ever beg my opponent for mercy or kindness.'Twould be a sacrilege to my family name to do something so… so very common."She looked him up and down and sneered."And to beg for mercy from a lowly half-blood like _you_?Please." 

***

December 1946

"Angelina, it's nearly midnight…Don't you want to call it a night and go to bed?" Gregory asked, stifling a yawn.

"No," the witch replied firmly."You can go off to bed if you'd like, but I'm not ready for bed, yet."

"Tom and Sally could be out all night, you know.Waiting up won't bring them back any faster…"

"Gregory, please…If you want to go to bed, then go, but don't start."

He sighed."I'll stay up.Do you want to play another game of wizard chess?"

"You always beat me, anyway…"

"I shouldn't.See, you're looking at the game the wrong way," he explained.

This got her interest."What do you mean?"

"Chess is all about strategy.Didn't your father teach you anything about a good battle strategy?"

"Go in and kill everyone was pretty much how… how my father did it, isn't it?"Gods, how she hated to think of her father as _Herr Grindelwald, die boshaft Killer_…Or, rather, Master Grindelwald, the vicious killer.

Gregory laughed and shook his head."Angelina, really.If that were the case, do you think that he would have made it as far as he did?Only Dumbledore stopped him, and that's because Dumbledore was prepared for the attack."

She winced.Dumbledore was a nice man, and she respected him a great deal… as long as she didn't associate him with the Dumbledore that killed her father.

Gregory rested his hand over hers."I'm sorry, that was a dumb thing for me to say…And to use that example to explain a game?Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Angelina smiled wanly."It's okay, Gregory.People hated my father because they were afraid of him.If I run away and cry every time someone says something bad about him, then I'll spend my whole life locked away in the dormitory.Father would expect much more of me than that, and I won't disappoint him."

"You're amazing," he breathed, looking at the fair blond angel before him with unabashed admiration.

"I try," she replied, beaming at her friend."Now, about that game…Strategy…"

"Chess is all about battle.Your goal is to conquer your opponent's kingdom by killing his king."

"I understand that…"

"No, wait," he interrupted."Just listen to where I'm going with this…"

The two of them were so engrossed in their conversation that they did not notice the last remaining student heading off to bed.__

***

1959

_"Bitch!"_ he snarled."I'll teach you to fear this half-blood!"His hand snaked through the bars, grabbing her by the hair and jerking her forward.

_Don't scream, _she panicked, feeling herself lift from the ground.Angelina was momentarily stunned when her head struck those cold bars.

His eyes held a contempt that mirrored her own."No fear, my Angel…Remember?"

"Yes," she spat."It's easy to torment me when I'm locked up in a cage with no wand, no weapon.You get your kicks from attacking an unarmed opponent?Pathetic.Give me a wand or a dagger, and then let's see who is left standing."

***

December 1946

"Checkmate!" she cried, delighted.

"Excellent!Now, are you ready to take away my thirty second limit on deciding my move?" Gregory asked.

"Nope.Not yet," she declared, an impish grin across her childish face.

"No fair," he protested.

"Perfectly fair," she countered."Besides, who cares about fair?Does anyone ever play fair in war?"

"Good point," Gregory conceded.

"Are you sure you belong in Slytherin?I don't recall fair play ever being a requirement, here…"

In response, Gregory chucked a pillow at her.She ducked down with remarkable swiftness, just in time for the pillow to go sailing over her head.A purely childish gesture, Angelina stuck her tongue out. "Ha, ha!You missed!"

At nearly the same time, the two children jumped to their feet, knocking over their chairs.Warily, they stared at each other, not even blinking if they could help it.

He started to the left, then to the right, before finally dropping to his knees and grasping her ankles, pulling her feet out from under her.

The witch shrieked, giggling as her friend and opponent slid up beside her and tickled her.

"Beg for mercy," Gregory commanded, grinning broadly as the girl laughed helplessly beneath him.

"Never!" she protested, gasping between giggles.

They froze when they heard the armor slide open.Silently, the two stayed in their hidden spot and watched Sally and Tom stagger in.

"Sally, you're so beautiful," the head boy breathed, nuzzling Sally's neck.

"You're not so bad, yourself, lover," she purred, stroking the short hairs at the back of his neck.

Using his finger, he tilted her chin up and brushed his lips against hers…Once, twice, then a long, hard kiss that lasted for what seemed like, to Angelina, a sickening eternity.

The two moved closer to their favorite couch, punctuating every step with another kiss.They backed into the couch; Sally collapsed on the leather surface, pulling Tom down on top of her.

Tom's strong hands traced her curves as his lips moved down her face and down her neck… slowly gravitating towards her chest…

Angelina tried to close her eyes, tried not to watch but… but it was like staring at the ruins of Hiroshima after the bombing…Horrifying, terrifying, but still too enthralling a vision to ignore.

Sally moaned as Tom's lips paused at her cleavage, his tongue stroking the depths of that crevice, leaving no surface ignored.Her head lolled to the side as her breath quickened.Her eyes opened halfway, glazed with passion, and staring right in the direction of Gregory and Angelina's table…

"Freak!" Sally shrieked, pushing Tom off of her.

The head boy fell to the floor as his paramour sat straight up.

"What the Hell?" Tom demanded, pushing himself off the floor.He got back to his feet and gave Sally a glare that commanded explanation.

"That!" Sally howled, pointing at the table.

Tom's gaze shifted to the area that she pointed and found the two first years, hiding under the table.Gregory was still covering Angelina with his body.Both of them peered up at the Head Boy with guilty expressions.

"What are… what did…God damn it!" Tom shouted.

"We weren't doing anything," Angelina snapped, shoving Gregory off of her."You two, however, should have kicked Hagrid out of his hut for some alone time or something," she sneered, looking at Sally with utter contempt.

"You sniveling little brat!" Sally snarled."You waited up all night just so you could spy on us, didn't you?Pathetic little maggot!"

"Sally!" Tom barked.

"You!Look at you!You…"Words in English failed her, but the idea had to come out…_"Die Hure!"_

"That's enough!" Tom bellowed.

"No, it's not!" his offended girlfriend burst out."That little brat has been endlessly following you around all year, always underfoot, lurking around every corner!I've had it!"

"So have I!" Angelina countered.She pointed her wand and pronounced with chilling precision, "_Petrificus totalus!"_

"Angelina!" Tom reprimanded.Although he spoke with anger, his eyes reflected admiration.

"I'm not going to stand here and let that _thing_ insult me!Do you think my father would allow me to behave that way?No!He'd kill me himself, before he allowed any daughter of his to be abused by trash like that!"Angelina shifted her gaze to the stiff and blinking Sally."I might be an easy target for you to pick at, but remember where I come from.I am the daughter of Helmut Grindelwald.Don't you think that the Dark Lord himself would have taught me how to handle things like you?"

Sally blinked in response.

"Don't underestimate me again."Angelina dusted her robes off and flounced off for the dormitories.

***

December 1946

The next morning 

"Angelina!" Tom shouted, catching a glimpse of the child rounding a corner.

She paused and turned back, waiting for him to catch up with her."What do you want?" she demanded coldly.

"About what you saw last night…"

The girl cut him off."I know what I saw last night.I saw why you date her."

"What about you and Gregory?" he countered."He was all over you."

"Gregory is my _friend_.No more."

"That's not what it looked like" was Tom's dour response.

"I don't care what it looked like.I didn't insult you for your behavior.Your girlfriend did enough insulting for all of us."Angelina turned to walk away when she felt rough hands grab her shoulders.

"Don't walk away from me," he commanded.

She stared up in his green eyes, burning with fury and felt the heat slowly creeping up her spine, up the back of her neck, flooding her face.The witch slowly lifted her tiny foot as if to shift her weight and brought her heel down on his foot, hard.

His jaw dropped, stunned by the painful blow that the child had delivered.

Angelina took advantage of the moment and flung his hands off of her."Don't touch me.Don't ever raise another hand against me."The girl stormed off before Tom could even recover enough for a response.

I just realized that I haven't credited my titles…Gotta stick with my habit of filching from the classics.J

_Heart of Darkness_: Joseph Conrad

_Beyond the Pale_: Just a good ol' fashioned colloquialism.This one actually isn't filched that I know of.

_A Tell-Tale Heart_:Edgar Allan Poe, of course.

_Romance in the Grand Manor_: It's the title of a classical piece by PDQ Bach.(I seriously recommend his stuff… it's fun classical stuff, light hearted and energetic, for the most part.Check out _March of the Cute Little Wood Sprites _and _Grand Serenade for a Whole Lot of Winds and Percussion_.)

Tempesta, my love of all loves, thanks so very much for being my beta and the nitpicky little snot that you are.I love you, darlin'.

W&M_law, it's only beginning.

Princess Luna: Thanks so very much.J

Tessie:A pleasure, hon, since you and Amy are the ones that got me writing again.

Rushumble:She's behind bars at the moment.That can mess with someone's head a bit…

Morrighan:*I'm the dolt.The date thing was a typo that I never even caught until you mentioned it.You can review me anywhere you want.JAnd thank you.

Everyone else:I'm begging, here…Please don't shatter my ego by neglecting to review…Fanfic authors crave it to validate our existence.;-)

Review?Please?


	4. Touch of the Master's Hand

1959

A/N: All characters… blah, blah, blah.See disclaimers in chapter one or My Antonia.

Notes at the bottom

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Touch of the Master's Hand

1959

"Do you really want to do that, Angel?" he demanded, his eyes glowing.

"It doesn't matter what I really want, right now, milord," she rebutted, her voice brittle."You've seen to that."

"I don't want to see you locked up like this!"

"Then let me go!" she cried.

***

Spring 1947

"Congratulations, Mr. Riddle," Dumbledore said quietly."You've received the highest score on the NEWTS ever."

Tom looked at Dumbledore suspiciously, neither of them aware of the child lurking in the shadows."You say this like it is a bad thing, sir…"

"Not even the creators of this test scored this high.There are some materials in this test that cannot be found in this school, not even in the Restricted section of the library.Some of those books are even difficult to find in the most unsavory shops of Knockturn Alley.Yet, you, Mr. Riddle, answered those questions right."

"I…I…I went through Knockturn Alley this summer to pick up some books.How can I become a top auror if I don't know all of the tricks?" Tom countered, gaining certainty as he progressed through his explanation.

Dumbledore remained skeptical."Right.Let us all hope, Mr. Riddle, that you never decide to use your knowledge of such matters."Dumbledore turned on his heel and walked away.

Angelina slipped out of her hidden spot in the shadows."Congratulations," she whispered, smiling up at him with shining blue eyes.

"Thanks," Tom replied, sounding thoroughly dissatisfied.

"What's wrong?"

"Dumbledore," Tom sneered."Every time I prove that I'm good, Dumbledore has to try and ruin it."

The child shrugged.She knew perfectly well that there were two Albus Dumbledores… one was kind and generous and taught transfigurations.The other was a cold and callous monster that killed her father.So why wouldn't that second Albus try to diminish the value of Tom's accomplishments?

"Some day, Dumbledore will pay for everything that he's done," Tom vowed.

Angelina smiled."I want you to promise me that I'll be there to see it," she whispered.

Tom's own smile was gentle and caring as he stroked the soft flesh of the little girl's face."Oh, no, Angel, I wouldn't want you to miss it for all the galleons in the world.You deserve to see it, after what he's done to you."

"And to be so against the Dark Arts…Stupid, just plain stupid…"Angelina shook her head."He seems to miss the Art part of it…They are beautiful things to behold.For one to have that much power, and to focus it with such accuracy?That is a beauty, not an abomination."Her voice was filled with wonderment.

"You're a very special girl, Angelina Grindelwald."

"My family gained everything that it has ever had through the use of the Dark Arts.To turn my back on it because of _him_ would be to disrespect my family.He killed my father.I won't let him take away my family honor, too," she declared, her blue eyes unusually bright.

"What are you saying?" Tom pressed, looking at the child with wonderment.His hands held hers as he knelt down on one knee to better look her in the eye.

"I'm saying that I'm going to be the best dark witch that the world has ever seen.I'm going to make my father proud."_I'm saying that you're going to be very lucky to have me at your side…There's nothing that you and I won't be able to do.The Great Lord Voldemort with Fräulein Grindelwald?We'll be unstoppable._

***

1959

Riddle… Voldemort froze at that suggestion."I…" his voice trailed off to silence.

"My love," she whispered, seeing the indecision in his eyes.Gently, lovingly, her fingertips stroked his face.

He buried his cheek against her hand and turned, kissing her fingertips.The wizard pulled the keys out of his robe and held them tightly in his hands, staring at the metal keys as if he expected them to answer…

***

Spring 1947

"Happy Birthday," Tom greeted, smiling warmly at the child when she came down for breakfast.

Angelina smiled broadly, looking for all the world like a beautiful angel of death in her black Hogwarts robe."Thanks," she responded, smiling cheerfully.Today was Angelina's twelfth birthday…In another seven days, it would be two years since Dumbledore had slaughtered her father.

Her smile faded.No doubt, there would be much celebrating and rejoicing in the wizarding world, particularly that idiot Headmaster Dippet.She, however, would be locked away in her dormitory while they all celebrated, mourning the man that they all loathed.

"I'll stay with you, Angelina," he whispered.

That was when Dippet took everyone's attention."In one week, it will be the anniversary of vanquishing the Dark Lord Grindelwald.There will be activities to celebrate this momentous occasion lasting throughout the day.In the morning, there will be a Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor.We will have an early dinner, a feast, in the Great Hall, followed by a ball for all the students to attend…"

Angelina could feel the eyes of her housemates upon her.She, however, kept a stony countenance, revealing nothing in her face.The hatred that she felt for the headmaster?That was for her, and for her alone.

_I won't cry,_ she swore._I won't let them see me cry.I'm a Grindelwald._Vater_ would never forgive me if I showed weakness in front of the enemy._She felt like she was dying inside, every time Dippet talked about what a monster her father was, and what a wonderful man Dumbledore was…

_Dumbledore is no great man.He's more of a monster than _mein Vater _ever was.At least _mein Vater_ was honest about his intentions; when he came, you knew that he would kill you if you did not join him.Not like Dumbledore, who pretends to be harmless and then kills._

As soon as Dippet finally shut up about the glorious murder of her father, Angelina threw her napkin on the table and walked out of the Great Hall.She focused on keeping her pace a slow, sedate walk.There was no way she'd give Dippet or anyone else the satisfaction of knowing that mere words could hurt _Fräulein_ Grindelwald.

***

Spring 1945

"They've killed your father, and they'll be closing in any minute," her nanny panicked, shoving the shocked child to action."We have to get out of here!"

Angelina stood and stared with wide blue eyes."Where's my papa?" she screamed, clutching the teddy bear that he had given her.

"Angelina!Listen to me!A man killed your father.It's over.The fancy castles, the pretty dresses…It's over with!Your father had enemies, and they will storm the castle!"

"I just want my papa!" the child wailed.

Another voice shouted, "They're storming the grounds!"

"We've got to get out of here," the nanny said, her customarily crisp voice tinged with panic."Come, we have a portkey.It will take us to a safe place."The nanny grasped her hand and clutched the portkey.

"No!" she screamed, snatching her hand out of the nanny's.The nanny's heeled shoes appeared to lift off the ground.The witch looked as though she was being sucked through the golden cauldron.

Then, she was gone.

And it was just the child, just turned ten, standing there alone.

She heard them long before she saw them.

There were men running up the stairs, getting stuck in the trip step, getting sucked into the void in the wall…But they would find her.They were coming closer… closer…She could hear them, hear their footsteps, their shouts…

But not many knew that Helmut Grindelwald had a little girl.

The door burst open, bouncing into the wall with a dull thud.

That was when she saw them…Four men, carrying wands, dressed in the black robes of the British Aurors."There's no one left!No one but this little girl…"

"_Wo ist mein Vater?"_ the child screamed.

"Who are you?" one of the men demanded."Why are you in Grindelwald's castle?"

The child dropped to her knees, sobbing, repeating, _"Wo ist mein Vater?Wo ist mein Vater?"_

"Damn it, doesn't the child speak English?" yet another one exploded.

"What are we supposed to do with this?This was supposed to be easy.We come in, we get Heinlen, we begin to dismantle the estate.We weren't supposed to find screaming children!"

The fourth one, who had been silent up to this point, spoke up."Would you all shut up?I may be able to find out something from the child, like where she belongs, if you'd all stop frightening her!"While his tone held an underlying hint of anger, he, at least, held a more soothing air than his companions.

The fourth man stepped forward and dropped down to the crying child's eye level."Child?Please, we want you help you," he murmured soothingly, stroking her blond hair.

Angelina was too upset to remember her English.The young witch simply buried her face in her skirt and cried for her father.

***

Spring 1947

"Angelina?" a familiar voice called out, disturbing her from her reverie.Hidden among the old books of the library, she thought that she would have a safe haven…At least for a little while.It wasn't like people were in the habit of searching for Angelina Grindelwald when she wandered off, anyway.

"Gregory!" Angelina cried, throwing herself into her friend's arms.

Gregory wrapped his arms around her and held her close, kissing her temple affectionately."Happy birthday," he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

"I don't think I'll ever have another happy birthday," Angelina countered._No, of course not.People will be getting ready to celebrate the murder of my father on the day of my birth._

"Still, though, why don't you come back to the common room?" Gregory pushed."It will be worth your while…"

Angelina shook her head."They are planning a celebration to commemorate my father's death.I don't want to be near those people."

"Angelina, please," he whispered."Not all of those people in our house, nor their families, are happy that your father is dead.I bet lots of them would rather Dumbledore had died, instead of Grindelwald."

The child looked skeptical.

"Please.Just…You trust me, don't you?" he pressed.

"Well…Yes," she replied doubtfully, her blue eyes peering at him with great suspicion.

"Then just come with me," he pressed.

"All right," she agreed.

He slipped his hand in hers and they walked back to the dungeons together."Hot fudge sundae," Gregory whispered to the knight.

The knight slid open and revealed the Slytherin common room, filled with Slytherin students and a flashing banner that read, "Happy Birthday, Angelina".

The little girl smiled, and threw her arms around Gregory."You planned this, didn't you?"

"I…Well," he finished lamely."I just wanted you to have a happy birthday."

"And I am, thanks to you," she whispered in his ear, kissing him on the cheek.

"Angelina, I…"He paused, looking as though he was searching for the words."I like you a lot.Would you…Would you…"

Her smile faded and her blue eyes widened.She knew where he was going with this._Someone, please come up with some kind of distraction!_

And that was when Tom walked up."Hello, princess," he greeted warmly.His green eyes focused on Gregory, filled with an intensity that lacked description.A faint sneer hovered on his lips for only a fraction of a second.He then shifted his attention back to Angelina.

"Hello," she murmured, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked him in the eye.

"Do you like your party?" Tom asked, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Yeah…It's great," she replied.

Their eyes were locked, and everyone else in the room faded to nothing.They didn't even notice Sally staring angrily or Gregory; poor dejected Gregory watching and wishing it were he on the floor with Angelina, rather than Tom.

"Do you want to dance?" Tom asked."This time, there's even music…"His voice trailed off as he looked at her, watching for a reaction.

A smile slowly spread across her face as she heard the beginning chords of The Glen Miller Orchestra's _In the Mood_ played on the phonograph.That smile was all the encouragement that Tom Riddle needed.He grabbed her hands and led her through the fast paced steps of the jitterbug.

Both of them were oblivious to an unhappy Gregory and an angry Sally sitting together watching.

By the time the music had stopped playing, their fellow Slytherins were surrounding them, watching them both execute the complicated steps of the muggle dance.

"Happy birthday, Angel," Tom whispered in her ear, kissing her on the cheek.

With that, he disappeared into the crowd, still there, still watching, but no longer visible.

"Come with me," Gregory commanded, smiling at the witch.

"Where are we going?" she protested as he took her hand and pulled her along with him.

"I want to give you your gift," he replied simply.He took her away to an isolated corner and pulled a box out of his pocket.

The little box fit in the palm of his hand and was wrapped in silver paper.It was tied with a bit of green ribbon."This is for you," he whispered, taking her wrist in his empty hand.He brought her wrist and hand up to even level and placed the tiny box in her open palm.

"You didn't… you didn't have to get me anything," she murmured shyly.

"I know I didn't.I wanted to."He gave her a gentle smile."Open it."

With nimble fingers, she pulled the ribbon, untying the strip of satin, and neatly tore the paper open.Inside was a little black velvet box.Angelina lifted the top and saw a silver spider staring up at her on a chain."Gregory, it's beautiful," she breathed."How did you know that the spider was on my family crest?"

"It seemed natural, Angelina.The spider is one of the most beautiful creatures.The complexity of her web is beautiful, but deadly to her prey.And the efficiency that she uses to kill?The spider suits you."

With shaking fingers, she lifted the thin silver chain and charm out of the gift box.

"May I?" Gregory whispered.

She smiled and handed the pretty trinket to him, and then turned.

There was a slight chill from the cold metal of the spider in her web resting on the ivory flesh of her breast.The witch felt her hair lift off the back of her neck as the boy gently clasped the necklace.

"You have beautiful hair," he murmured, letting the blond locks slip through his fingers.He inhaled deeply, breathing in the gentle scent of gardenias from her hair."It feels like silk, and shines like spun gold…"

"Gregory, please," she whispered.Angelina didn't want to have this conversation…Not now…Gregory was her best friend.She didn't ever want to have this conversation with him.

She turned to face him and felt his arms gently wrap around her in a careful embrace.

"Angelina, I…"He stopped and gently brushed his lips against hers.He stepped back, horrified."Oh, God, Angelina, I'm so sorry…I never should have…"

"You're right," another voice interrupted coldly."You never should touch her."

Angelina whirled around."Tom!I thought you were…"

"Somewhere else?"

"Well…Yes, actually.I thought you were busy prying Sally off of you.Of course, now that I think about it, I've never actually seen you pry her off of you…More like you just let the little piece of trash drape herself over you," Angelina purred maliciously.

"And there you are, making out with this _boy_ in the common room in front of everyone," Tom countered.

"We were _not_ making out.That was what you and that thing were doing after the Yule ball."

"Don't start," he hissed, roughly grabbing her by the forearm.

"Don't touch me!" Angelina snarled, flinging his hand off of her.

Interestingly enough, the three of them had managed to keep their voices low enough where the other members of the house couldn't hear them over the music.

"He's a little boy, Angel.I would think that you wouldn't waste your time with that."Tom's green eyes perused Gregory, noting his face, still boyishly round, and Gregory's unimpressively short stature.

"Jealous?" the girl spat, angered by his unwelcome and unfounded judgments.

"Of _that_?Please!" the older boy protested, his voice thick with undisguised sarcasm.'

"Well, what else would you call your little temper tantrum that you're throwing?"

"I _don't_ throw tantrums," he answered petulantly.

One blond eyebrow rose up; skepticism was written across her face."And what, my lord, would you call this little tirade of yours?"

He straightened himself up and said arrogantly, "Watching out for your best interests."

"I'm not a child!I don't need you to watch out for me!"

"Well, you obviously do!You're letting Gregory Fairchild drape himself all over you like a cheap—"

Angelina cut him off."Like a cheap Sally?"

"Leave Sally out of this.She has—"

"Everything to do with it.You don't have any right to tell me what I can and can't do when you're letting that piece of garbage follow you around like—"

"She accuses you of doing?" he interrupted.

"I do _not_ follow you around!You're the one who followed me over here!"

"Doesn't matter.See this?" he demanded, tapping his head boy badge."This gives me every right to watch our for you and tell you what to do."

"Take points off of our house, then!Do it, I dare you!I'm not going to stand back here and let you berate me like a disobedient child."

"Then stop acting like one!"

"Make me!"

Tom opened his mouth to speak when Gregory interrupted."Are you trying to ruin her birthday, or does being a jerk just come naturally to you?" 

Riddle turned and focused his energy on the boy with dark hair."You stay out of it, you little runt."

"Don't talk to him like that!" Angelina defended.

"I'll talk to him any way I want!"

"Enough!Both of you!" Gregory announced, using an air of authority."You like Angelina, Tom.And, well, we both know what you think, Angelina.There's no reason for it!"

Tom and Angelina turned to Gregory at the same time."You stay out of this!" they both snarled.

That was when Gregory gave up, and decided to let the two of them argue it out on their own.

***

1959

"I— I love you, Angelina," he explained."But you drive me mad," Lord Voldemort said darkly as he dropped the keys back in his pocket. 

"Then just let me go, darling…Let me go away."

He lifted her hand and brushed his lips against the soft flesh of her palm."I can't give you up, Angelina…"

Riddle slowly released her hand and walked away, leaving her trapped in the cell.

***

Spring 1947

"And the house cup goes to Slytherin," Dippet announced, sounding remarkably unenthused.

"Hufflepuff bastard," Tom sneered, sitting in his usual seat beside Angelina.

Angelina stifled a laugh.

"It's been a wonderful year…No unfortunate accidents, no bizarre events….Just a nice, quiet year with a good and healthy competition among the houses.Our seventh year students are now partaking in their final feast as students, and will leave on the Hogwarts Express for the last time.

"You will now be adults in the wizarding world, ready to embark in new adventures.Some of you will work for the Ministry in various departments…Some of you will become shopkeepers of Diagon Alley or any other wizard hideaway.Whatever you do, wherever you go, the world is at your feet, just waiting for you to make a go of it, and to do your best.

"You, ladies and gentlemen, are a credit to Hogwarts, and a credit to yourselves.I am proud of all of you."Dippet coughed and smiled."Now, let us begin our feast."

The headmaster clapped his hands, and the plates were filled.

The students partook in their final meal for the school year before boarding the Hogwarts express.

"Tom?" the twelve year old asked hesitantly.

"What?" he asked, holding his fork full of pie in midair.

"Now that you're leaving…I—"She paused, her eyes downcast.

"I won't forget you, ever.And I'll still send you owls," he promised.

"Where will you go?"

"I'm going to learn how to perfect my art…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Touch of the Master's Hand" comes from a poem by Myra B. Welch.

Tessie:I saw!Thank you so very much!

W&m_law:grinsYou'll figure it out, darlin'.I have faith in you…Although, of course, I'll take great pleasure in messing with your head until then…;-)

Rushumble:You'll find Angelina to be very bipolar when locked away…Not only does she have the face of her lover, there's also the little specters of the past popping up to haunt her, as well…

Debra:I have a three year old that insists that I take breaks.JHe's very, very demanding… more so than Tom, even.

Ruby:Thanks

Whitebears:Yup, that was a boo boo.Gotta re-upload chapter 2 and fix that…And I'll probably continue the time jumping format.It's a bit different than anything else that I've ever tried, and I'm kind of enjoying it.Hopefully, y'all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Oklahoma Gurl, Danielle, and Candace:Thanks so much, and I'll do my best to keep it coming.

Tempesta:Darling, dearest…I know that you've read everything, since you beta me and kick me in the ass when I need it, but still, you could at **least** post your review…

Oh, yeah, and here's a shameless plug:Tempesta writes some of the most awesome poetry on ff.net.Check out her stuff here:

http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=Directory-AuthorProfile&UserID=19758


	5. The Point of No Return

1947

A/N:Blah, blah, blah, etc, etc.Disclaimer is already in the first chapter.

Spring 1947

Angelina stepped off the train, dressed in her muggle clothes.She wore a pink dress; her long blond hair was in two braids tied with pink ribbons.

The little girl looked just like the sweet little girls in muggle commercials.

And there he was, waiting for her, unsmiling.Angelina's slow, sedate pace faltered for a second, then regained its even stride.She didn't want to go.

"Angelina," he greeted coolly, assisting her with her trunk and her owl.

"Mr. Bickford," she responded, giving her guardian a slight bow in response.Her voice was as cold as his own.

Unsmilingly, the two headed off to a large black muggle car that was waiting for them.Yes, the Packard was certainly one of the finest muggle cars available, and it was made even nicer with the assistance of magical technology.

"How was your year?" Bickford demanded, his voice as crisp as his three-piece muggle suit.

"Fine, sir," she responded, taking in the appearance of her guardian, the man who hadn't laid eyes on her in over a year.His mustache was still full and neatly trimmed, but was getting more silver with age.His glasses were still rimless rounds, and he still wore that bowler hat with his fancy muggle suits.

"And your grades?" he pressed, taking his silver pocket watch out of his gray tweed vest pocket.

"Top of the class, sir," the girl answered as he glanced at the time.

There was the swift snap of his pocket watch closing and the rustle of fabric as the shining silver bauble slipped back in its pouch."Very good," he said, sounding for all the world like her progress didn't matter at all.

"And how has your work at the Ministry been?" she asked carefully, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

She must have succeeded.He didn't even focus his gray eyes on her at all to answer."Fine, fine.Still clearing out Grindelwald's castle of the dark materials."

The child stiffened, but only for a second."I'm sure that will take some work.Have you lost any more Aurors to the stairs?"_I hope so…_

"No, thankfully, we have not.The first two were enough.Now we just need to figure out how to disable the damned thing."

A tiny smile formed on Angelina's lips._You'll need me for that.How do you think I managed to play in there as a child?I asked it to keep me safe, and it did.And it will continue to do so until I ask it to do otherwise._

"You wouldn't know anything about some of the defenses your father set up, would you?No doubt, you'll want the castle to be a safe place for you to go when you become an adult…"

_Not particularly,_ she thought._I'll just have to go around and set up all the wards that _mein Vater_ put up again to protect me from you monsters, anyway…_"No, sir," she spoke."_Mein Vater_ didn't feel that I should have to concern myself with any of those things.He wanted me safe.I didn't need to know how those things worked.I was just to be secure in the knowledge that they did."

"Kept you in a gilded cage, did he?" her guardian scoffed.

"He took care of me.I never wanted for anything while _mein Vater_ was alive.He loved me."Her tone dared him to challenge her.

"Angelina, he's dead now.It's time to forget about it and move on."

"You want me to forget my family?Forget the traditions?Forget my father?"The girl looked at the stuffed suit beside her as if he were mad.

Bickford spoke gently, "Forget the world of the Dark Arts you grew up in.When I took you in, I swore I would drive it out of you.I was very displeased when you were placed in Slytherin, but Dippet insisted that this was the house that you would remain in, for that is where the Sorting Hat put you.But I won't allow you to grow up to be a dark witch.I won't allow it!I swore to the Ministry when I took you in that I wouldn't have one in my house, and I won't!"But by the time he'd finished his speech, his voice had grown more enraged, more demanding.His face had slightly reddened with the fury of his convictions.

"Would you have me be one of those little feather-headed girls from Hufflepuff who do nothing more than bow and scrape, since their pudding-filled minds will allow for no more?Would you have me be stupid, and not think for myself, or, better still, not think at all?" Angelina countered bitterly.

"Rather than have you be a dark witch?Yes!I'll see you dead, first, child," Bickford spewed.

Angelina narrowed her eyes, barely masking the malevolence that she felt._I'll see that threat, Mr. Bickford, and I'll raise you one.I'll see you dead by the time I graduate.Would you prefer a simple poison, or a nice little curse?_Mein Vater_ would expect me to be proficient in both…_

The two sat in silence as the miles slipped away beneath them, neither looking at each other for quite some distance.

Angelina spoke, her sweet, childish voice breaking the silence."Will we be going to the cottage in Brighton this summer?"

Bickford glared at her distrustfully."Yes, I suppose we will…"

"Honestly, sir, if you'd like the time alone without me, there's no reason that you can't leave me in the townhouse…The servants will be there, so I won't be alone…"_Please leave me in London… Please leave me in London,_ she silently prayed.

"No, you'll come with me," he decided reluctantly.

Angelina hated Brighton.She was too fair to go out to the beach, but she hated the cottage by the sea because it was a shrine to Bickford's family.She could, in all honesty, go a lifetime without seeing it again, and be perfectly content with that.If she went outside, she would burn; if she stayed inside, she'd have to see the mockery off all their shining, innocent faces.

The townhouse, at least, while stodgy and boring and incredibly muggle in function, had a good library to keep her interests…Providing that Bickford wasn't in there to see what she was reading.

Unfortunately, Angelina didn't get to choose.So, she was being sent to what she was certain was the most horrific place in the earth.

***

1959

"Don't walk away from me!" she commanded.

The Master looked back at her, his green eyes filled with regret."I'm sorry, Angelina."He kept walking, not looking back.

The witch clung to the bars and watched him disappear.

***

Summer 1947

The sun was shining brightly and the seagulls were flying along the shoreline as the Packard pulled up to the cottage on the coast of Brighton.The chauffeur came around and opened the door for Angelina, bowing gently as he offered her his gloved hand.Angelina slipped her tiny hand in his and allowed him to help her out from the car.

The witch inhaled deeply, feeling the soothing scent of the saltwater wash over her.The gentle breeze whipped at her skirt and unraveled wisps of hair from her braid.A tiny smile spread across her youthful face as the wind lovingly caressed her soft flesh.It felt good to be here, and would until the first rays of the sun blistered her little nose.

"Madam?" the driver asked, drawing her out of her reverie.

"Oh, sorry," she murmured, dropping his hand and moving aside so that Bickford could ease out of the limousine.

"Really, Angelina," Bickford sniffed, looking down at the child."Can you please reserve your day dreaming for when you're _out_ of the way?"

The child pursed her lips and somehow managed to look down her nose at him, even though he towered over her.With that, Angelina turned on her heel and walked away from him, heading for the cottage.

Well, really, it was more of a mansion, but, of course, Bickford, being the upper class snob that he was, referred to the twenty-six-room structure as their "little family cottage in Brighton".

_Pretentious jerk_, Angelina thought resentfully as she sat down on the porch swing.Absently, the witch twirled her wand, shooting green and silver sparks out of it as she did so.

"Angelina!Put that away!_Now!_" he reprimanded, his voice unduly sharp.

_I wonder if I could kill you right now…Have I learned enough?_ Angelina thought, sizing up her guardian through narrowed eyes.

Bickford, however, continued on, walking up the stairs to the cottage, paying no mind to the malicious thoughts of the little girl he'd taken in and, well, not loved, but tolerated.

The driver carried their luggage out of the car and up to the house.

Angelina, however, remained in the shade on the porch, alone and ignored.

As the sun faded, she slipped inside, quietly creeping through the house, hating the pictures of his family.The pictures of the daughter poking the son, and making bunny ears on each other, the family sitting together and chatting, all of it irritated her, particularly when they would stop their merriment as she passed, only to glare at her.

_"I'm glad you're all dead,"_ she hissed._"I'm still alive, and I'm right here, living, while all you can do is watch."_

She walked past them, annoyed with the ridiculous number of trinkets that remained from Bickford's dearly departed.

She also wondered if their death was anything like her father's.

That night, she fell asleep wondering if her father was happy in Valhalla, the legendary hall of warriors.She wondered if he missed her as much as she missed him.

***

Summer 1947

Dear Tom,

How is Transylvania?I hope you're learning everything that you ever hoped that you would learn.

I'm here in Brighton with Mr. Bickford.I hate this house, I hate all of the pictures of his family that are all over the place.They hate me, too.They stop laughing and chatting when I come in, and stare at me like it's my fault that they are dead.Mr. Bickford treats me like I'm not even here, except when he wants to yell at me for something.

I miss Hogwarts, I miss Papa, and I miss you.At least when I am there, I'm not treated like a criminal who should be shut up in Azkaban.And I had you and Gregory to keep me company.

With love,

Angelina

She attached the note to her owl's leg and whispered pleadingly, "Please find him.He'll know what to do."

The child gave the owl a gentle stroke under her wings, and sent the bird on the way.

Nearly two weeks later, Angelina got her response.

Angel,

Don't worry about Bickford.I'll take care of everything.On the night of the full moon, stay out of the house.Try to stay at the boardwalk as late as you can.I'll find you.

Yours,

Tom

The full moon! That was tonight!Secretly, Angelina rejoiced.She would see her Tom, and he would take her away from this mess.She wouldn't have to live somewhere that everyone hated her.

It would be nice to not be treated like a murderer, again.

A voice spoke up, disturbing her reverie."What's got you smiling, child?"

She jumped."I just…I was just watching my owl, sir…"

"That had better be it, Angelina.I won't have your father's Dark Arts under my roof.Bad enough the bastard took my family!" he spat.

"I'm not my father!Your good friend Albus Dumbledore killed him, remember?" she spat, banging her fist against the window.The glass shattered and she screamed.

Blood, blood, blood…It was everywhere…On her robes, on the floor, mixed in with the shards of glass embedded in her wrist…This was _her_ blood, seeping out of her veins.Would she die like her father?Would she bleed to death in Brighton, with those portraits watching in rapt fascination as her lifeblood poured across the polished oak floor?

Bickford disapparated, leaving her alone.Would he come back before she bled to death, or would he leave her here to die unattended?_Freya, send your Valkyries for me,_ Angelina silently prayed.

She knew that she'd be dead very soon if she kept bleeding like this…And Bickford just left her…

Angelina dragged herself over to the bed and grabbed the duvet off of the bed.She wrapped a corner of the cotton fabric around her arm and fumbled for her wand._I can heal this,_ she thought weakly, struggling to remember the incantation for that simple, simple charm._"Medicor,"_ she whispered, drawing her wand across her wound.The flow of blood slowed, going from gushing to slightly dripping.Whether or not that was due to the spell, or to loss of blood, Angelina was not sure of._"Medicor,"_ she repeated, her voice pleading.This time, pale blue sparks flew from the tip of her wand and wrapped around her arm, moving faster and faster.

Then she heard two popping sounds.

"Let me see it, child," a man commanded.

Angelina looked up and saw a mediwizard standing beside her, along with Mr. Bickford.

"You came back," she breathed.Angelina then fell into the mediwizard's arms, unable to hold herself up anymore.

"Of course I came back, child.I couldn't just leave you here to die," he admonished.

"Well, I'll be damned," the mediwizard whispered."Marcus, look at this.The girl nearly healed herself."

Bickford examined the blood-smeared arm that the mediwizard held out to him."How did you do this, Angelina?" he demanded, his voice not carrying the strength that it usually did.

"I used the healing spell," she murmured, her face even paler than usual as the mediwizard held her up.

"I've never seen anyone manage to so successfully heal themselves," the mediwizard rang out, astonishment etched in his face."Which spell did you use, child?"

"_Medicor,"_ she replied faintly.That was when the room went black.

When she had awakened, she could hear the hushed tones of two adults speaking just past the door.

"Marcus, you've got a talented little witch on your hands.That's the spell that I'd have used for her, but I wouldn't have gotten this good of a wound closure without using some herbs to speed up the healing process…No one has ever successfully used that spell on themselves without dropping dead moments later from the energy that it took…"

"What do you make of it?" Bickford asked."Dark arts?"

"For a little girl like her to do that?I'd think so.There's no way that she would have gotten that training from a wizard of the Light side at her age.It's not natural, not even for a witch to do that sort of thing.Takes a certain amount of selfishness to heal yourself of an injury like that.Goes beyond will power."The mediwizard paused, and then ventured, "That's Grindelwald's daughter, isn't it?"

"That's her," Bickford replied grimly.

"If I were you, I'd take her wand and snap it.No telling what that girl will grow up to do."

She then heard the footsteps of the two men walking away.Angelina was alone, left to her own thoughts and her nearly healed slit wrists.She pulled out Scott Cunningham's _The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews_ and read until the sun began to droop in the sky.

When dusk came, she snapped the book shut and examined her wrist.The only thing left from her injury was a faint scar across her wrist.

Of course, the mediwizard had left hours before, and Bickford was far too busy to stand over Angelina and watch for her to keel over.All that remained in the room was Angelina, dressed in a frilly pink nightgown (which she did not pick out) and her wand.Her wand, made of Black Forest Oak and a combination of dragon heartstring and fairy dust for the core, was a Gregorovich creation and a gift from her father for her tenth birthday.

_Herr_ Gregorovich had said that this was the only time that he had tried that combination, and it was ideal for charms work of the light sort and the dark._Which side you use it for, Fraulein,_ he had said, _will be entirely up to you…But with that wand, you can do great things…Only time will tell what sort of greatness you will achieve._

_Dusk… Tom will be coming soon…I've got to get out,_ she thought.

The girl dragged herself out of bed and threw on a blue muggle skirt and a white blouse.She hurriedly stuffed her robes in a tote, and smiled at the reassuring weight of Gregory's spider around her neck.

Hurriedly, the girl plodded out of her bedroom, down the dark stairs, through the parlor…Silently, she went, trying not to attract attention. _They mustn't know I'm gone,_ she thought, her blue eyes darting around, going this way and that.Confident that she had not been seen, the witch deftly staggered out the door, not letting her blood loss slow her down any more than necessary.

On the sandy beach, her senses were assaulted by the heady scent of the sea.It was cleansing, it was freeing…

She made her way down the boardwalk, past the teen-age couples walking hand-in-hand, past the Ferris wheel, past the cotton candy and hot dog vendors, past the games…Through all of this, Angelina was alone, and had to wonder if she and her Lord Voldemort would ever do stupid things together, and enjoy them as much as these muggle couples.

That was when she saw a tall boy nearing eighteen leaning against a lamppost.He smiled at her, a crooked half-smile topped by glimmering green eyes.

"Tom," she breathed.Angelina's pace quickened as she approached, her blue eyes sparkling with unparalleled delight.The same figure put a finger across his lips and winked at her.A muggle couple walked between her and the figure, smiling and giggling as the girl held a large teddy bear.When the pair had passed, he was gone.

_He couldn't have disapparated in the middle of all these muggles…Could he?_

***

1959

_Bastard_, she thought bitterly._You never loved me, did you?You just wanted to use me to pick up what was left of _mein Vater's_ holdings…And you did it, too.And I let you.I let you use me.I let you touch me, I let you share my bed, and you did it because you wanted my connections, not because you wanted me._

No, never because you wanted me… 

***

Summer 1947

It was nearing midnight, and there was still no sign of Tom.The muggle couples were going off to their own beach houses, making hurried plans to meet again the next day in a fury of stolen kisses beneath the full moon.

The witch was growing annoyed as sat down on a bench overlooking the sea. She pulled out an antique silver pocket watch.Where was he?

Perhaps all he wanted to do was to look in on her, and be sure that she was well.Maybe he wasn't going to do anything more than that, and she would have to spend the rest of her days, or, at least, the rest of her days until she was of age, as Mr. Bickford's ward.

That was when she heard it from behind, the buttery rich and velvet smooth voice of Lord Riddle."Did you give up on me, Angel?" the voice murmured softly, the sound wrapping around her in a sensuous embrace.

She whirled around, kneeling on the bench.A slow smile spread across her face.There, standing before her, was Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Voldemort."Tom!" she cried out, throwing her arms around him.

"I'm glad to see you, too, Angel.Are you ready to go with me?" he asked, stroking her blond hair.

"What about— What about Bickford?" she asked hesitantly.

Tom smiled, a cold and vicious smile unlike any that she'd seen before… except for on her father, when he was planning a raid…"Bickford won't be a problem.Ever again."

A deliciously cold chill shivered up her spine."What do you mean, Tom?" the witch pressed, not sure if she really wanted to know.

His smile grew broader."Take a look," he encouraged, gesturing toward the Bickford house.

Filled with trepidation, her head slowly turned.Floating in the sky was a skull with a serpent threaded through it.

"What have you done?" she whispered.She knew.There was no need to ask, but to hear it from his own lips, hear his denial…That would make it all right, wouldn't it?

He tilted his head, peering at the witch quizzically."I've saved you from a life that you didn't want.Isn't that how you viewed me at Hogwarts?As your own personal savior?"

Angelina rose to her feet and stepped back, grateful for the bench between them.__

"Come, now, Angelina…You're the one who sent me owls to let me know how unhappy you were, how you missed me…I just made sure that you would have what you wanted…"

"Don't pin this on me…What have you done to him, to the servants?" Angelina pressed, fear in her blue eyes.

Riddle smirked, "Do you really care?Does Angelina Grindelwald _really_ care about the welfare of Marcus Bickford, a muggle lover in the Ministry of Magic?"

She stared at him silently.

"Don't you know about Bickford, Angelina?Don't you know why he took you in?It was worked out, all nice and neat with Dumbledore…"

"What are you talking about?" she hissed, her voice frosty, her eyes hard.

_"Think, Angelina_," he pressed."_Think…_How did you come to live with Marcus Bickford?"

"My father died!How else!" she spat.

"Why Bickford?Do you think that this is all about you?" 

"His family is dead…They…The Ministry…They thought that it would be good for him to have a little girl around him again…"

"But why _you_?There were plenty of children orphaned in raids by your father.Why not give one of _them_ over to Bickford instead of you, the child of the great killer himself?And how do you think Bickford's family died?"

"_No," _she breathed, horror written across her angelic features.

He shook his head at her."You know, Angelina.You know the truth."

"No!" she screamed.

Riddle waved his wand, magically sweeping the bench out of his way.Unimpeded, he proudly strode toward her."The truth is out there," he whispered, his thumbs brushing against her cheeks, "but the lies are in your head.If you want to win, you need to let go of the lies inside your head, and embrace the truth, even if the truth _is_ a frightful thing…"

"No," she protested, more feebly this time.

"The truth, Angelina…I haven't come all this way to take you with me, only to further bury you in lies…"

"I've not been told about how Bickford's family died," she answered stubbornly.

"You're in denial, Angel," he murmured gently, embracing her carefully."You may not have heard the words, but you know how it happened.You know how his family died, and you know how you came to live with him…And you know that's what precipitated his ill-treatment of you."His voice was soothing, comforting, gently pulling the knowledge forth from her sub consciousness.

The child swallowed and nodded, burying her face against his muscular chest.

"Say it, Angel.Just say the words, and admit the truth, and you will be free," he promised.

"My—" she choked."My father killed Marcus Bickford's family.Marcus Bickford was aligned too closely with the Aurors or something else to do with the Light, and sent his family into hiding.My father couldn't get to him, so he found Bickford's family and killed them to cripple the Light Side's defense against my father and his followers."

"And why did Bickford take you, Angelina, instead of all of those other orphan witches and wizards?" Tom probed.

"Because I am Angelina Grindelwald.My father may have taken his family, but he took me.And his insistence that I not learn the Dark Arts is simply an effort to insult my father.It's not about me.It's never about me," she finished bitterly.

Tom stepped back and bowed to the witch."And the truth shall set you free," he pronounced, his green eyes filled with pride as he focused on the young girl in front of him.

"You still haven't answered my question…What have you done with Bickford?I do still have some possessions in that house," Angelina pointed out.

"Bickford is dead," Tom confirmed.

The child flew into a rage."Great!And who do you think will be blamed for this when they find me gone?" she spat, now pacing in the soft sand.

"Grindelwald's supporters still at large, of course," Tom responded 

_"I left the note you sent by owl in my bureau!"_ she hissed.

"Stay.I'll get it.You have your wand, of course?"

The child looked at him as though he were stupid."Of course.I don't leave home without it."

Riddle nodded approvingly and then disapparated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Credits:Bickford's first speech was, indeed, patterned after Vernon Dursley's speech about Harry getting into Hogwarts.Any similarity found with Dursley and Crouch is deliberate."The truth is out there, but the lies are in your head" is a quote from Terry Pratchett's _Hogfather_.And, of course "The truth shall set you free" is a quote from the Holy Bible.(And that is, pretty much, the depth of religious content you will find in my fics.I won't bash you over the head with messages regarding Greek Reconstructionalism or messages from any other religious practice.That's not why I write, and I'm pretty sure that's not why my very few readers _do_ read what I write.)Scott Cunningham's _The_ _Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews _is a real book, published by Llewellyn.It can be found at your local Barnes and Noble.

To the betas: Tessie and w&m_law, thanks for the beta.Tempesta, where the Hell are you?

To the readers:Review me?Please?Please?FF.net disabled the hit counter eons ago, and this is the only way that I have of knowing if anyone actually reads what I write.Flames are welcome, particularly if they are constructive.

To the reviewers:

W&m_law:If I didn't mess with your head, you'd be concerned, anyway.;-)

Tessie: And you love her to bits.

Rushumble, Whitebears, lee-anne:Thanks

Debra:He also knows where the switch to my power cord is on my computer.So, I'd say that three year old knows quite a bit.J

Ruby: Gregory will be around for many, many chapters to come, and I don't think it will be in the way that you are expecting.

Morrighan: More on Dumbledore will be seen when Angelina returns to Hogwarts.But remember that Dumbledore believes in giving everyone a chance, regardless of ancestry.

Candace:So far, all we've established is that he has a baby face.

PotterLovingAsh:There's more to come, but that story cannot be given the resolution that it deserves without the completion of this one.There are a lot of things here that will affect the course of Severus Snape.

Harriet Potter:Poor Gregory, indeed.As for Antonia and Angelina, while they are very, very much alike (with good reason, I might add), read both pieces again, and see that the two are driven by very, very different things.

Don't forget to review!


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